text:
Richard Holbrooke
Richard Holbrooke | |
United States Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan | |
In office January 22, 2009 – December 13, 2010 | |
President | Barack Obama |
Preceded by | Position established |
Succeeded by | Marc Grossman |
22nd United States Ambassador to the United Nations | |
In office September 7, 1999 – January 20, 2001 | |
President | Bill Clinton |
Preceded by | Peter Burleigh (acting) |
Succeeded by | John Negroponte |
Assistant Secretary of State for European and Canadian Affairs | |
In office September 13, 1994 – February 21, 1996 | |
President | Bill Clinton |
Preceded by | Stephen A. Oxman |
Succeeded by | John C. Kornblum |
United States Ambassador to Germany | |
In office October 19, 1993 – September 12, 1994 | |
President | Bill Clinton |
Preceded by | Robert M. Kimmitt |
Succeeded by | Charles E. Redman |
Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs | |
In office March 31, 1977 – January 20, 1981 | |
President | Jimmy Carter |
Preceded by | Arthur W. Hummel Jr. |
Succeeded by | John H. Holdridge |
Personal details | |
Born | Richard Charles Albert Holbrooke April 24, 1941 New York City, U.S. |
Died | December 13, 2010 (aged 69) Washington, D.C., U.S. |
Political party | Democratic |
Spouses |
Children | 2 |
Education | Brown University (BA) |
Richard Charles Albert Holbrooke (April 24, 1941 – December 13, 2010) was an American diplomat and author. He was the only person to have held the position of Assistant Secretary of State for two different regions of the world (Asia from 1977 to 1981 and Europe from 1994 to 1996).
From 1993 to 1994, he was U.S. Ambassador to Germany. He was long well-known among journalists and in diplomatic circles. Holbrooke became familiar to the wider public in 1995 when he, together with former Swedish prime minister Carl Bildt, brokered a peace agreement among the warring factions in Bosnia leading to the signing of the Dayton Peace Accords. Holbrooke was a prime contender to succeed Warren Christopher as Secretary of State but was passed over in 1996 as President Bill Clinton chose Madeleine Albright instead.
From 1999 to 2001, Holbrooke served as U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations. He was an adviser to the presidential campaign of Senator John Kerry in 2004. Holbrooke then joined the 2008 presidential campaign of Senator Hillary Clinton and became a top foreign policy adviser. Holbrooke was considered a likely candidate for Secretary of State had Kerry or Hillary Clinton been elected president. In January 2009, Holbrooke was appointed as a special adviser on Pakistan and Afghanistan, working under President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.[1] During his career, Holbrooke worked to improve the lives of refugees, particularly the Hmong of Indochina.[2] On December 13, 2010, Holbrooke died from complications of an aortic dissection.[3]
Holbrooke's unfulfilled ambition was to become Secretary of State; he, along with George Kennan and Chip Bohlen, were considered among the most influential U.S. diplomats who never achieved that position. Several considered Holbrooke's role in the Dayton Accords to merit the Nobel Peace Prize.[4][5][6][7]
Early life[edit]
Holbrooke was born on April 24, 1941, in New York City, to Dan Holbrooke, a doctor, and Trudi Kearl (née Moos), a potter; brother, Andrew, survives him.[8][9] Holbrooke's mother, whose Jewish family fled Hamburg in 1933 for Buenos Aires before coming to New York, took him to Quaker meetings on Sundays. She stated: "I was an atheist, his father was an atheist... We never thought of giving Richard a Jewish upbringing. The Quaker meetings seemed interesting."[10]
Holbrooke's father, who died of colon cancer when Richard was 15 years old,[8] was born of Polish Jewish parents in Warsaw and took the name Holbrooke after migrating to the United States in 1939. The original family name was Goldbrajch.[11] During his teens, Holbrooke spent more time at the house of his friend David Rusk than his own home. David's father was Dean Rusk who became President Kennedy's Secretary of State in 1960.[2] Rusk inspired Holbrooke; however, he did not give him any special treatment during his career.[2]
After Scarsdale High School,[12] Holbrooke earned a Bachelor of Arts in history from Brown University in 1962, attending on a full-tuition scholarship.[12][13][14] He was later a fellow at the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs at Princeton University, leaving in 1970.[13] At Brown, Holbrooke was the Editor-in-Chief of the Brown Daily Herald in his senior year (1961-62).
Foreign Service (1962–1969)[edit]
President John F. Kennedy's call to service inspired Holbrooke to enter government work.[15][16] A few weeks after college graduation, Holbrooke entered the Foreign Service where he underwent Vietnamese language training. He served for six years in Vietnam, first in the Mekong Delta, as a civilian representative for the Agency for International Development working on the rural Pacification Program, a program supporting the South Vietnam government with economic development and enacting local political reforms. Holbrooke later became a staff assistant to Ambassadors Maxwell Taylor and Henry Cabot Lodge Jr., by securing the position from his best friend, Anthony Lake.[16]
During this time, he served with many other young diplomats who would play a major role in American foreign policy in the decades ahead, including John Negroponte, Frank G. Wisner, Les Aspin and Peter Tarnoff. When Holbrooke was 24, he joined a team of experts, formed by President Lyndon Johnson that was separate from the National Security Council.
Following his time in the White House, Holbrooke served as a special assistant to Under Secretaries of State (then the number-two position in the State Department) Nicholas Katzenbach and Elliot Richardson. In 1968, Holbrooke was asked to be part of the American delegation to the 1968 Paris peace talks, which was led by former New York Governor Averell Harriman and Deputy Secretary of Defense Cyrus Vance. He also drafted a volume of the Pentagon Papers, a top-secret report on the government's decision-making in Vietnam.[17] Following these assignments, Holbrooke spent a year as a mid-career fellow at the Woodrow Wilson School at Princeton University.
Peace Corps and Foreign Policy (1970–1976)[edit]
In 1970, at his own request, Holbrooke was assigned to be the Peace Corps Director in Morocco. Holbrooke initially rejected an offer to become the editor of the magazine Foreign Policy instead recommending his friend, John Campbell. After two years, he left the Foreign Service to become the managing editor of the magazine after Campbell died of thyroid cancer. Holbrooke held the position from 1972–1976.[18] During his tenure, the magazine ran investigative reports on Vietnam and the Middle East which disturbed some members of the foreign policy community.[19] At the same time (1974–75), he was a consultant to the President's Commission on the Organization of the Government for the Conduct of Foreign Policy and was a contributing editor to Newsweek International.[18]
Carter Administration (1977–1981)[edit]
In the summer of 1976, Holbrooke left Foreign Policy to serve as campaign coordinator for national security affairs to Governor Jimmy Carter (D-Ga.) in his bid for the White House. During the campaign, Holbrooke helped Carter prepare for his foreign policy debates with President Gerald Ford. After Carter's victory, Holbrooke followed in the footsteps of such diplomatic mentors as Philip Habib, Dean Rusk and Averell Harriman and, on March 31, 1977, became Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, making him the youngest person ever to hold that position, a post he held until 1981.[20] While at State, he was a top adviser to Secretary of State Cyrus Vance. During his service, he feuded with Carter's National Security Advisor, Zbigniew Brzezinski, although they both held similar positions on policy.[2] Holbrooke oversaw a warming with Cold War adversaries in the region, culminating in the normalization of relations with China in December 1978.[16] He was also deeply involved in bringing hundreds of thousands of Indochinese refugees to the United States, thus beginning a lifelong involvement with the refugee issue.
East Timor controversy[edit]
In August 1977, then Assistant Secretary of State, Holbrooke traveled to Indonesia to meet with President Suharto in the midst of Indonesia's occupation of East Timor, in which over 100,000 East Timorese were ultimately killed or starved to death. According to Brad Simpson, director of the Indonesia and East Timor Documentation Project at the National Security Archives, Holbrooke had visited officially to press for human rights reform but, after meeting Suharto, had instead praised him for Indonesia's human rights improvements, for the steps that Indonesia had taken to open East Timor to the West, and for allowing a delegation of congressmen to enter the territory under strict military guard, where they were greeted by staged celebrations welcoming the Indonesian armed forces.[21]
Wall Street years (1981–1993)[edit]
In January 1981, Holbrooke left government and became both senior advisor to Lehman Brothers[8] and vice president of Public Strategies, a consulting firm he formed with James A. Johnson, a former top aide to Walter Mondale. From 1985 until 1993, Holbrooke served as managing director of Lehman Brothers. During this time, he co-authored Counsel to the President, The New York Times best-selling memoirs of legendary Democratic wise man and Defense Secretary Clark Clifford, published in 1991. He was a top policy adviser to then-Senator Al Gore (D-TN) during his 1988 campaign for the Democratic presidential nomination. And four years later he advised Bill Clinton, in his quest for the White House.
Holbrooke also remained deeply engaged in prominent foreign policy issues. He visited Bosnia twice in 1992 as a private citizen and a member of the board of Refugees International, witnessing firsthand the damage and devastating human costs of the conflict. This experience committed Holbrooke to pursuing a more aggressive policy in the Balkans and, in a memo to his colleagues, he urged that "Bosnia will be the key test of American policy in Europe. We must therefore succeed in whatever we attempt."[22]
U.S. Ambassador to Germany (1993–1994)[edit]
In 1993, after Bill Clinton became President, Holbrooke was initially slated to be Ambassador to Japan due to his depth of knowledge and long experience in Asian affairs. However, this appointment eventually went to former Vice President Walter Mondale, and Holbrooke unexpectedly was appointed Ambassador to Germany.[23] In 1992, Holbrooke was also a member of the Carnegie Commission on America and a Changing World and Chairman and principal author of the bipartisan Commission on Government and Renewal, sponsored by the Carnegie Foundation and the Peterson Institute. He was Chairman and principal author of the "Memo to the President-Elect: Harnessing Process to Purpose," a blue-ribbon Commission report sponsored by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and the Institute for International Economics.[24]
Holbrooke served in Germany during a dramatic moment: only a few years after German reunification, he helped shape U.S. relations with a new Germany. A highlight of his tenure was President Bill Clinton's visit to Berlin in July 1994, when thousands of Germans crammed the streets to welcome the American leader.[25] While in Germany, Holbrooke also was a key figure in shaping the U.S. policy to promote NATO enlargement, as well as its approach to the war in Bosnia.[citation needed]
In 1994, while serving as U.S. Ambassador to Germany, he conceived the idea of a cultural exchange center between the people of Berlin and Americans. With Richard von Weizsäcker, former President of Germany, and Henry A. Kissinger as co-Chairman, this institution—The American Academy in Berlin—was announced on September 9, 1994, the day after the U.S. Army Berlin Brigade left Berlin. The American Academy in Berlin opened three years later in a villa on the Wannsee once owned by the German-Jewish banker Hans Arnhold. The American Academy in Berlin is now (as of 2009) one of the most important links between Germany and the United States.[26] Its Fellows have included writers (including Pulitzer Prize winning authors Arthur Miller and Jeffrey Eugenides), economists, government officials, and public policy experts such as Dennis Ross and former U.S. Ambassador to The People's Republic of China, J. Stapleton Roy.[27] In 2008, The American Academy in Berlin awarded its annual Henry A. Kissinger Award for Transatlantic Relations to George H. W. Bush. In 2007, the Award's first recipient was former German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt.[citation needed]
Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs (1994–1996)[edit]
In 1994, Holbrooke returned to Washington to become the assistant secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs, a position he held until 1996, when he resigned for personal reasons (he had recently married the author Kati Marton and wished to return to New York). While assistant secretary, Holbrooke led the effort to implement the policy to enlarge NATO and had the distinction of leading the negotiation team charged with resolving the Balkans crisis.[citation needed]
On August 19, an Armoured personnel carrier following the Humvee Holbrooke was riding in fell off the side of Mt. Igman near Sarajevo. Three of Holbrooke's five-man delegation team perished in the incident. In Holbrooke's telling of the incident, he portrayed himself and the other surviving member of his delegation, General Clark, as active participants in the rescue mission.[28] However, Holbrooke's biographer George Packer, discredited Holbrooke's story, stating that another man traveling with the delegation, Colonel Banky, was in fact the person who searched for the APC while Holbrooke and Clark waited near the Humvee.[2] A report on the incident stated that the driver of the APC was going too fast.[2]
In Paris in December 1995, Holbrooke was the chief architect of the Dayton Peace Accords which ended the three-and-a-half-year-long war in Bosnia.[29] In 1996, he was awarded the Manfred Wörner Medal, awarded by the German Ministry of Defense for public figures who have rendered "special meritorious service to peace and freedom in Europe."[citation needed]
Balkan envoy (1996–1999)[edit]
External videos | |
Booknotes interview with Holbrooke on To End a War, July 26, 1998, C-SPAN | |
Presentation by Holbrooke to the National Press Club on To End a War, June 18, 1998, C-SPAN |
Upon leaving the State Department, Holbrooke was asked by President Clinton to become, as a private citizen, a special envoy to the Balkans given his service in the region. In 1997, Holbrooke became a special envoy to Cyprus and the Balkans on a pro-bono basis as a private citizen. During 1998 and 1999, in his capacity as special presidential envoy, Holbrooke worked to end the conflict between the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA), who were fighting for an independent Kosovo in the Kosovo War. Holbrooke returned to Bosnia two years later to the city of Sarajevo. In March 1999 he traveled to Belgrade to deliver the ultimatum to Yugoslav president Slobodan Milošević before the NATO attack began.[30] Holbrooke was strongly anti-Serbia and referred to Serbs as "murderous assholes".[31] Holbrooke wrote numerous articles about his experiences in the Balkans, and in 1998, published the widely acclaimed book, To End a War, a memoir of his time as the chief negotiator of the Dayton Peace Accords, ending the Bosnian civil war. The New York Times ranked the book as one of the eleven best books of the year in 1998.[32] In his book he assessed Bosnian president Alija Izetbegovic negatively stating, "although he paid lip service to the principles of a multi-ethnic state, he was not the democrat that some supporters in the West saw".[33]
According to Radovan Karadžić and Muhamed Sacirbey, ex-Bosnian Foreign Minister, Holbrooke signed an agreement with Karadžić that if the latter withdrew from politics he would not be sent to the Hague tribunal.[citation needed] Holbrooke denied these terms, saying Karadžić's statement was "a flat-out lie."[34]
Holbrooke and Bildt were considered candidates for the Nobel Peace Prize as a result of the Dayton Peace Accords. However, Holbrooke's personal lobbying for the award may have been detrimental to their chances.[2]
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations (1999–2001)[edit]
In August 1999, Holbrooke was sworn-in as the 22nd U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, replacing Bill Richardson. Holbrooke initially had issues passing the Senate because of perceived abuses of authority while as Clinton's Balkan envoy.[2] During his tenure, Holbrooke was known for innovation and for achieving diplomatic breakthroughs that settled a series of longstanding tensions in the United States' relationship with the UN. His highest-profile accomplishment was negotiating a historic deal between the United States and the UN's then 188-Member States to settle the bulk of arrears owed by the United States to the United Nations. The deal, achieved with the agreement of the UN's entire membership in late December 2000, lowered the rate of UN dues paid by the United States to the UN, fulfilling the terms of a U.S. law championed by Senators Jesse Helms (R-NC) and Joseph Biden (D-DE). In return for the reduction, the United States paid the UN over $900 million in back dues.[35] During his time as ambassador Hobrooke forwent the official ambassador's residence at the Waldorf Astoria hotel instead letting his chief of staff temporarily use the residence.[36]
Holbrooke secured a reduction in U.S. dues to the UN despite a booming American economy by enfolding the U.S. position within a broad push to update the UN's long-outdated financial system. As negotiations reached a critical phase in the fall of 2000, Holbrooke bridged a gap between what the United States was legally permitted to pay and the amounts the rest of the UN membership were willing to shoulder by securing an unprecedented contribution by billionaire Ted Turner, founder of the UN Foundation. Holbrooke and his team received a standing ovation in the United States Senate Foreign Relations Committee when the terms of the deal were presented.
Holbrooke's other achievements as UN Ambassador included getting the United Nations Security Council to debate and pass a resolution on HIV/AIDS, the first time that body had treated public health as a matter of global security. In January 2000, Holbrooke used the United States' presidency of the UN Security Council to spotlight a series of crises in Africa, holding six consecutive UN debates that brought together leaders from the region and the across the globe, including former South African President Nelson Mandela and then U.S. Vice President Al Gore, to catalyze more effective UN interventions in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola, and elsewhere. Holbrooke decried a "double standard" whereby African conflicts received insufficient global attention.[37]
In 2000, Holbrooke led a UN Security Council delegation in a series of diplomatic negotiations throughout Africa, including to the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, and Uganda. Holbrooke also secured membership for Israel in the UN's Western European and Others regional group, ending Israel's historic exclusion from regional group deliberations and allowing it to, for the first time, stand for election to leadership positions in UN sub-bodies.[38] During the final weeks of his term, Holbrooke secured consultative status at the United Nations for Hadassah, the Jewish women's service organization, overcoming strenuous objections from certain Arab delegations.[39]
In January 2000, when the United States was in the rotating presidency of the UN Security Council, Ambassador Holbrooke held an unprecedented meeting of the Security Council to discuss AIDS in Africa.[40] No Security Council session in the history of the UN had ever been devoted to a health issue prior to this historic meeting. Vice President Al Gore presided over the Security Council and declared that AIDS was a security threat to all nations.[41]
Upon leaving the UN a year later, Holbrooke took over a nearly moribund NGO that was intended to mobilize businesses and corporations in the fight against AIDS. At the time, it had 17 members. Over the next six years, Holbrooke turned this organization—originally called the Global Business Council on HIV/AIDS—into a worldwide organization with over 225 members.[42] It expanded to include malaria and tuberculosis, becoming the Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria in 2006. In 2011, the organization became GBCHealth and expanded its mandate to include an array of health issues. GBCHealth is the official focal point for mobilizing the business community in support of The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, and has grown into an important part of the ongoing war against these three diseases.[43]
Hillary Clinton's 2008 presidential campaign[edit]
Holbrooke was Clinton's lead foreign policy advisor in her 2008 campaign for president and was believed to be her preferred choice for Secretary of State. When Obama defeated Clinton and selected her as Secretary of State, Holbrooke was her preferred option for Deputy Secretary of State, but was vetoed by Obama.[1]
Special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan (2009–2010)[edit]
In January 2009, Holbrooke was appointed by President Obama as special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan (SRAP).[44] Holbrooke was never in serious contention to become Obama's secretary of state although he interviewed for the position. After Hillary Clinton became secretary of state she requested that Holbrooke become SRAP, a newly created role which he had previously advocated for. Holbrooke's tenure as SRAP has been considered lackluster. Holbrooke's relationship with President Obama was minimal and his relationship was even worse with Joe Biden. He became unpopular in the administration when he attempted to aid Afghan President Hamid Karzai's political opponents during his reelection bid.[2] Holbrooke was well-liked in Pakistan by civilians because he actively sought to build a relationship with their country.[2] In that position, he also helped kill an initiative to "back the creation of a new UN special envoy empowered to pursue peace talks with the Taliban."[45] He also asserted that:
one of the most cost-effective steps Washington could take would be to boost the agriculture sector of Afghanistan, which in years past had been a productive and profitable source of exports. Replicate the past success, he said, and Afghans would have money and jobs—and that, in turn, would create stability in the country. He called for 'a complete rethink' of the drug problem in Afghanistan, suggesting that draconian eradication programs were bound to fail.[46]
However, according to David Corn, "Holbrooke's skill set did not lead to much accomplishment in Afghanistan. He never worked out a productive relationship with Afghan President Hamid Karzai … He butted heads with other administration officials and was dismissed by European colleagues. He brokered no breakthroughs."[46]
Other activities[edit]
Holbrooke was the vice chairman of Perseus LLC, a leading private equity firm. From February 2001 until July 2008, Holbrooke was a member of the Board of Directors of American International Group. He was a member of the board of directors of the Council on Foreign Relations in New York and formerly served on the Advisory Board of the National Security Network. Holbrooke was also a member of the International Institute for Strategic Studies, the Citizens Committee for New York City, and the Economic Club of New York. He was a member of the Trilateral Commission, and he has been listed on their membership roster as one of their "Former Members in Public Service".[47][48]
Holbrooke was the Founding Chairman of the American Academy in Berlin; President and CEO of the Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS, TB and Malaria, the business alliance against HIV/AIDS, until his appointment as a special envoy by President Barack Obama;[49] and Chairman of the Asia Society. Holbrooke's other board memberships included the American Museum of Natural History, Malaria No More (a New York-based nonprofit that was launched at the 2006 White House Summit with the goal of ending all deaths caused by malaria), Partnership for a Secure America, and the National Endowment for Democracy. Holbrooke was also an honorary trustee of the Dayton International Peace Museum, as well as professor-at-large at the Watson Institute for International Studies at Brown University, his alma mater. Additionally, Holbrooke was an Advisory Board member for the Partnership for a Secure America, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to recreating the bipartisan center in American national security and foreign policy.
Holbrooke also served as vice chairman of Credit Suisse First Boston, managing director of Lehman Brothers,[50] managing editor of Foreign Policy, and director of the Peace Corps in Morocco.
He wrote numerous articles and two books: To End a War, and the co-author of Counsel to the President, and one volume of The Pentagon Papers. He received more than a dozen honorary degrees, including an LL.D. from Bates College in 1999. He wrote a monthly column for The Washington Post and Project Syndicate.
On March 20, 2007, he appeared on The Colbert Report to mediate in what Stephen Colbert (or rather, his television alter-ego) saw as Willie Nelson infringing on his ice cream flavor time. Holbrooke was the 'ambassador on call' and after a short mediation process the two parties agreed to taste each other's Ben and Jerry's ice cream to make amends. He subsequently sang "On the Road Again" in a trio with Colbert and Nelson.[51]
Holbrooke was an Eminent Member of the Sergio Vieira de Mello Foundation until his death.
In June 2008, Conde Nast Portfolio reported that Holbrooke and his son allegedly got multiple below-rate loans at Countrywide Financial because the corporation considered them "FOA's"—"Friends of Angelo" (Countrywide Chief Executive Angelo Mozilo).[52]
A documentary titled The Diplomat centered on the legacy of Holbrooke's career appeared on HBO in the fall of 2015. The documentary was directed by his son, David Holbrooke, and features notes from Holbrooke's "secret audio diary" which "he dictated on a near daily basis from August 2010 until his death".[53]
He was a member of the Steering Committee of the Bilderberg Group[54] and participated in every conference between 1995 and 2010.
In January 2001, Holbrooke said that "Iraq will be one of the major issues facing the incoming Bush administration at the United Nations." Further, "Saddam Hussein's activities continue to be unacceptable and, in my view, dangerous to the region and, indeed, to the world, not only because he possesses the potential for weapons of mass destruction but because of the very nature of his regime. His willingness to be cruel internally is not unique in the world, but the combination of that and his willingness to export his problems makes him a clear and present danger at all times."[55]
On February 24, 2007, Holbrooke delivered the Democratic Party's weekly radio address and called for "a new strategy in Iraq", involving "a careful, phased redeployment of U.S. troops" and a "new diplomatic offensive in the Gulf region to help stabilize Iraq."[56]
During the 2008 South Ossetia war between Russia and Georgia, Holbrooke said during a CNN interview that he had predicted the conflict in early 2008.
Personal life[edit]
Holbrooke was married three times. His first wife was Larrine Sullivan, whom he married in 1964; they had two sons, David and Anthony, before Holbrooke and Sullivan divorced in 1972.[8] He later married Blythe Babyak, a reporter for MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour, on January 1, 1977; they divorced in 1978.[57] He was married to Kati Marton from 1995 until his death.[8] Before he married Marton, he was involved in a longstanding relationship with the broadcast journalist Diane Sawyer and lived with her for seven years.[58]
Holbrooke had been good friends with diplomat Anthony Lake whom he met in Vietnam in the early 1960s while both of them were in the foreign service. They frequently visited each other and Lake aided Holbrooke throughout the early years of his career. They grew apart when Holbrooke had an affair with Lake's wife, eventually rarely speaking, and by the time Lake became Bill Clinton's National Security Advisor, their friendship was over.[2]
On December 11, 2010, Holbrooke was admitted to George Washington University Hospital in Washington D.C. after falling ill at the State Department's headquarters.[59] While there, he underwent twenty hours of surgery to fix an aortic dissection, a rare condition.[60]
Holbrooke died on December 13, 2010, from complications of the torn aorta.[60] Holbrooke's last words before being sedated for surgery, which have been clarified to have been a comical interchange with his doctor, were: "You've got to end this war in Afghanistan."[61] He is interred at Oakland Cemetery in Sag Harbor, New York.[62]
Frank Rich of The New York Times wrote: "His premature death—while heroically bearing the crushing burdens of Afghanistan and Pakistan—is tragic in more ways than many Americans yet realize."[63] President Obama memorialized Holbrooke, stating "few have left such a towering legacy as a face of America to the world as Richard Holbrooke".[64]
On January 14, 2011, Holbrooke's memorial service was held at John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.[65]
The 2014 film Diplomacy was dedicated to Holbrooke.[66]
In 2015, Holbrooke's son David directed a documentary, The Diplomat, which chronicled his father's professional life and achievements.
A street in Pristina, the capital of Kosovo, is named after Holbrooke, albeit in Albanian transliteration, "Riçard Holbruk".
In 1999, Holbrooke received the Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement.[67]
In 2011, President Obama created the Richard C. Holbrooke Award for Diplomacy to be awarded annually to up to five individuals or groups the Secretary of State has determined have made "especially meritorious contributions to diplomacy."[68]
- To End a War. New York: Random House (1998). ISBN 978-0375500572.
- Counsel to the President
- "The Machine That Fails". Foreign Policy, vol. 1 (1970): 65–77. doi:10.2307/1147889. JSTOR 1147889.
- "Japan and the United States: Ending the Unequal Partnership". Foreign Affairs, vol. 70 (1990): 41. doi:10.2307/20045002. JSTOR 20045002.
- "America, a European Power". Foreign Affairs, vol. 74, no. 2 (Mar.–Apr. 1995): 38–51. doi:10.2307/20047041. JSTOR 20047041.
- East Asia in Transition: Challenges for the Trilateral Countries: A Task Force Report to the Trilateral Commission. New York: Trilateral Commission (1998). ISBN 978-0930503048. OCLC 1148955001.
See also[edit]
- ^ a b Nasr, Vali (March–April 2013). "The Inside Story of How the White House Let Diplomacy Fail in Afghanistan". Foreign Policy. Retrieved November 27, 2015.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Packer, George (2019). Our Man : Richard Holbrooke and the End of the American Century. NY: Knopf. pp. 1–14, 30–211, 190–246, 320–350, 415–430, 490–510. ISBN 9780307958037. OCLC 1043051114.
- ^ Alter, Jonathan (December 14, 2010). "Richard Holbrooke: An American in Full". Newsweek. Retrieved April 29, 2018.
- ^ Moreau, Ron (December 14, 2010). "Holbrooke in the Trenches". Newsweek. Retrieved April 29, 2010.
- ^ Alter, Jonathan (January 16, 2011). "Richard Holbrooke's Lonely Mission". Newsweek. Retrieved April 29, 2018.
- ^ "Richard Holbrooke: A Disappointed Man". Newsweek. December 14, 2010. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
- ^ "An American in Full". Newsweek. December 14, 2010. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
- ^ a b c d e McFadden, Robert D. (December 14, 2010). "Strong American Voice in Diplomacy and Crisis". The New York Times. p. A1. Retrieved December 13, 2010.
- ^ Sciolino, Elaine. – "Man in the News – Richard C. Holbrooke; A Tough Man (Some Say Brutal) for a Tough Job". – The New York Times. – June 19, 1998.
- ^ Roger Cohen (December 17, 1995). "Taming the Bullies of Bosnia". The New York Times Magazine – (c/o NYTimes.com). Retrieved November 27, 2015.
- ^ Petition for Naturalization of Dan Holbrooke, U.S. District, Southern District New York Court #487977 dated May 22, 1944
- ^ a b Sciolino, Elaine (June 19, 1998). "A Tough Man (Some Say Brutal) for a Tough Job". The New York Times. p. A1. Retrieved December 15, 2010.
- ^ a b Reynolds, William Joseph (December 14, 2010). "Ambassador Richard Holbrooke, Scarsdale Native, Dies". Patch.com. Retrieved December 15, 2010.[permanent dead link]
- ^ McFadden, Robert D. (December 14, 2010). "Richard C. Holbrooke, Giant of Diplomacy, Dies at 69". The New York Times. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
- ^ "Holbrooke interview with the Brown Journal of World Affairs". January 5, 2023.
- ^ a b c "Richard C. Holbrooke". The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer. PBS. – MacNeil/Lehrer Productions.
- ^ Rogin, Josh (July 29, 2010). "Holbrooke: I helped write the Pentagon Papers". Foreign Policy. Retrieved June 26, 2023.
- ^ a b "R. Holbrooke's Biography". Charlotte Rotary. Archived from the original on August 7, 2008.
- ^ Glasser, Susan (December 14, 2010). "Richard C. Holbrooke, 1941-2010". Foreign Policy. Retrieved May 9, 2019.
- ^ "Assistant Secretaries of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs".
- ^ "The Democrats & Suharto: Bill Clinton & Richard Holbrooke Questioned on Their Support for Brutal Indonesian Dictatorship". Democracy Now!. Retrieved December 14, 2010.
- ^ Holbrooke, Richard (1999). To End a War. New York, New York: Random House. p. 50.
- ^ Holbrooke, Richard (1999). To End a War. New York, New York: Random House. p. 55.
- ^ "Special Report: Policymaking for a New Era". Archived from the original on December 6, 2007.
- ^ Jehl, Douglas (July 13, 1994). "With a Few Strides, Clinton Celebrates Germany's Unity". The New York Times.
- ^ "American Academy". Archived from the original on January 20, 2009.
- ^ "American Academy Fellows". Archived from the original on January 22, 2009. Retrieved October 13, 2008.
- ^ "To End a War". The New York Times. Retrieved May 18, 2019.
- ^ AMANPOUR, CHRISTIANE. "Holbrooke." New Republic 242.1 (2011): 9–10. BusinessSource Elite. Web. September 28, 2012.
- ^ Perlez, Jane (March 22, 1999). "Conflict in the Balkans: The Overview; Milosevic to Get One 'Last Chance' to Avoid Bombing". The New York Times. Retrieved February 15, 2009.
- ^ Peace and Security in the Western Balkans: A Local Perspective. Taylor & Francis. 2022.
- ^ "Editors' Choice: The Best Books of 1998". The New York Times.
- ^ To End a War The Conflict in Yugoslavia--America's Inside Story--Negotiating with Milosevic. Random House Publishing Group. 1999. p. 97.
- ^ Robertson, Nic (July 31, 2008). "Karadzic Details 'Deal with U.S. to Vanish'". CNN. Retrieved November 24, 2008.
- ^ Crossette, Barbara (December 22, 1999). "U.S. Saves Its U.N. Voting Rights With a Payment of Back Dues". The New York Times.
- ^ Lynch, Colum (August 28, 1999). "U.N.'s Holbrooke to Forgo Waldorf Astoria Residence". The Washington Post. Retrieved July 13, 2022.
Richard C. Holbrooke, the new U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, has eschewed the formal $30,000-a-month ambassador's residence at the Waldorf Astoria. But that hasn't stopped his 27-year-old executive assistant, R.P. Eddy, from checking into the luxury hotel suite where Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright and Energy Secretary Bill Richardson lived during their terms as ambassador.
- ^ "Holbrooke Intends to Keep Emphasis on Africa".
- ^ Press Release: Israel Accepted to WEOG An Achievement for Israeli Diplomacy. – Ministry of Foreign Affairs. – The State of Israel. – May 28, 2000.
- ^ "UN Votes To Extend Its Ears to Hadassah". Daily News. January 17, 2001. Archived from the original on January 24, 2009.
- ^ Global Business Coalition: Strategy Page. Archived September 18, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Al Gore Support Center Accomplishments Archive Archived July 18, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria: "A Growing Business Movement".
- ^ Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria: "New Group to Galvanize Business Role in Combating AIDS, TB and Malaria" Archived July 26, 2011, at the Wayback Machine.
- ^ Kantor, Jodi (February 7, 2009). "Back on World Stage, a Larger-Than-Life Holbrooke". The New York Times. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
- ^ Borger, Julian (December 14, 2010) Afghanistan after Holbrooke, The Guardian
- ^ a b Corn, David (2010-12-14) Richard Holbrooke's Unfinished Business, Mother Jones
- ^ "Membership List for the Trilateral Commission" (PDF)., September 2010, p. 13. Retrieved September 23, 2010, from www.trilateral.org
- ^ "Membership List for the Trilateral Commission". May 19, 2010., May 2010, p. 13.
- ^ Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria: "GBC President and CEO Richard Holbrooke Heading to State Department".
- ^ Council on Foreign Relations – Richard Holbrooke Archived July 15, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "The Colbert Report". Comedy Central. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
- ^ Countrywide's Many 'Friends' Conde Nast Portfolio, June 12, 2008.
- ^ "Richard C. Holbrooke's Diary of Disagreement With Obama Administration". The New York Times. April 23, 2015. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
- ^ "Former Steering Committee Members". bilderbergmeetings.org. Bilderberg Group. Archived from the original on February 2, 2014. Retrieved February 8, 2014.
- ^ "Holbrooke: Iraq Will Be a Major UN Issue for Bush Administration". United States Diplomatic Mission to Italy. January 11, 2001. Archived from the original on January 25, 2009. Retrieved February 15, 2009.
- ^ "Former U.N. Ambassador Richard Holbrooke Delivers Democratic Radio Address". Democratic National Committee. February 26, 2007. Archived from the original on March 9, 2007. Retrieved April 30, 2007.
- ^ "Richard Holbrooke Weds Blythe Babyak". The New York Times. January 7, 1977. p. 56. Retrieved December 13, 2010.
- ^ "Kati Marton's love stories: Paris, marriages to Peter Jennings and Richard Holbrooke, and a couple affairs". The Washington Post. Retrieved October 18, 2018.
- ^ Lee, Matthew (December 13, 2010). "US diplomat Richard Holbrooke dies". The Boston Globe. Retrieved December 14, 2010.
- ^ a b Blackburn, Bradley (December 14, 2010). "Richard Holbrooke Dies After Suffering Aortic Dissection". ABC News. Retrieved December 14, 2010.
- ^ Revisiting Holbrooke's Last Remarks, Robert Mackay, The New York Times, December 14, 2010.
- ^ "Permanent Residents of Oakland Cemetery". Sag Harbor Partnership.org. Sag Harbor, NY: Sag harbor Partnership. Retrieved May 10, 2019.[permanent dead link]
- ^ Frank Rich (December 26, 2010). "Who Killed the Disneyland Dream?". The New York Times. p. WK14.
- ^ "Honoring Holbrooke: 'Because We Could Make a Difference...'". White House. January 14, 2011. Retrieved November 6, 2021.
- ^ "Memorial Service held at John F Kennedy Center C-SPAN". C-SPAN. January 14, 2011. Archived from the original on January 5, 2012. Retrieved January 15, 2011.
- ^ Rafer Guzman (October 23, 2014). "Volker Schlöndorff, German director of 'Diplomacy,' talks new film, summers in Amagansett". Newsday. Retrieved March 3, 2016.
- ^ "Golden Plate Awardees of the American Academy of Achievement". achievement.org. American Academy of Achievement.
- ^ "Obama Creates Award to Honor Richard Holbrooke". Courthouse News Service. January 19, 2011.
Further reading[edit]
Secondary sources[edit]
- Chollet, Derek H., and Samantha Power. (2011). The Unquiet American: Richard Holbrooke in the World. New York: Public Affairs. ISBN 978-1610390781.
- Curran, Daniel, James K. Sebenius, and Michael Watkins. "Two Paths to Peace: Contrasting George Mitchell in Northern Ireland with Richard Holbrooke in Bosnia–Herzegovina." Negotiation Journal 20.4 (2004): 513-537. online
- Hartwell, Leon. Conflict Resolution: Lessons from the Dayton Peace Process. Negotiation Journal. 35(4):443-469.
- Moyn, Samuel, "Imperial Graveyard" (review of George Packer, Our Man: Richard Holbrooke and the End of the American Century, Cape, 2019, 592 pp., ISBN 978 1 910702 92 5), London Review of Books, vol. 42, no. 3 (February 6, 2020), pp. 23–25. Moyn concludes his review, on p. 25: "[Packer's book] Our Man may be the most vivid tour of America's foreign delusions that has been offered since the Vietnam War."
- Packer, George (May 2019). "The End of the American Century: What the life of Richard Holbrooke tells us about the decay of Pax Americana". The Atlantic.
- Packer, George (September 28, 2009). "A Reporter at Large: The Last Mission". The New Yorker. Vol. 85, no. 30. pp. 38–55. Retrieved February 22, 2010. [Richard Holbrooke's plan to avoid the mistakes of Vietnam in Afghanistan].
- Packer, George. (2019). Our Man: Richard Holbrooke and the End of the American Century. New York: Alfred A. Knopf. ISBN 978-0307958020. Full-scale scholarly biography.*Bloomfield, Steve (May 2, 2019). "Our Man by George Packer review – Richard Holbrooke and American power". The Guardian. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
- Powers, Thomas, "The Fog of Ambition" (review of George Packer, Our Man: Richard Holbrooke and the End of the American Century, Knopf, 2019, 592 pp.), The New York Review of Books, vol. LXVI, no. 10 (June 6, 2019), pp. 12, 14–15. "Friends... told Holbrooke he was making a mistake to support the [Iraq] war [in 2003], but he chose the road of realism. To be against that war... he felt, would mark a man as soft... But that was a moment when the United States needed bucking up to say no to a rush to war. [I]t's hard not to feel... this was the moment that put the 'almost' in 'almost great.'" (p. 15.)
- David Rieff, "An American in the Treetops: Should we miss Richard Holbrooke?", Harper's Magazine, vol. 339, no. 2032 (September 2019), pp. 89–94. "Packer is content to sum up Holbrooke by deploying the fuzzy category of 'almost great' – which... obscures more than it clarifies. Holbrooke was not just an appalling human being but a diplomat whose accomplishments were actually quite modest." (p. 94.)
Primary sources[edit]
- The Principles of Peacemaking Holbrooke's address to the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs conference on "Israel's Right to Secure Boundaries" on June 4, 2007
External links[edit]
- Biography at the United States Department of State
- Writings and speeches at the Council on Foreign Relations
- Column archives at The Washington Post
- Appearances on C-SPAN
- Richard Holbrooke at The Asia Society
- Interview by Nermeen Shaikh
- Speech to an Asia Society Gala function On the occasion of the Society's 50th anniversary in 2006
- Richard Holbrooke at Aljazeera
- Richard Holbrooke, veteran US diplomat, dies at BBC News with obituary and tributes
- Bulldozer of the Balkans, BBC News, 1998
- Richard C. Holbrooke, 1941–2010 Archived September 5, 2014, at the Wayback Machine at Foreign Policy
- Richard Holbrooke at The Guardian
- Richard Holbrooke (1941–2010) at The New Republic
- Richard C. Holbrooke at The New York Times
- Richard Holbrooke Obituary at The Daily Telegraph
- Remembering Ambassador Richard Holbrooke at Time
- Holbrooke's Overlooked Record in East Timor, Iraq and the Balkans – video report by Democracy Now!
- Charlie Rose: An Appreciation of Richard Holbrooke December 14, 2010
- Richard Holbrooke at Find a Grave
- 1941 births
- 2010 deaths
- 20th-century American diplomats
- 20th-century American male writers
- 20th-century American non-fiction writers
- 21st-century American diplomats
- Ambassadors of the United States to Germany
- American International Group
- American people of German-Jewish descent
- American people of Polish-Jewish descent
- American people of the Vietnam War
- American Quakers
- Assistant Secretaries of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs
- Atlantic Council
- Brown University alumni
- Businesspeople from New York (state)
- Clinton administration cabinet members
- Commanders Crosses of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
- Deaths from aortic dissection
- Members of the Steering Committee of the Bilderberg Group
- New York (state) Democrats
- Permanent Representatives of the United States to the United Nations
- People from Scarsdale, New York
- Princeton School of Public and International Affairs alumni
- Quebecor
- Recipients of St. George's Order of Victory
- Scarsdale High School alumni
- United States Assistant Secretaries of State
- United States Foreign Service personnel
- United States Special Envoys
- Writers from New York City
- Foreign Policy editors


text:
By the time you read this, we may already be at war.
Syrian forces loyal to Bashar al-Assad now stand accused of deploying chemical weapons against Syrian civilians in a Damascus suburb. Though they have long clamored for U.S. intervention in the conflict, Washington's war hawks now insist that Assad has breached a new threshold and must be punished for his excess. They remind President Obama of his prior pledge—one he surely now regrets—to respond to any credible use of chemical weapons by the regime.
Obama reluctantly seems to agree, and Washington shifts now to an all-too-familiar footing in preparation for a new war. Secretary of State John Kerry lambasts the "moral obscenity" of Assad's most recent crimes, as though the war up to this point were anything less. U.S. warships glide across the Mediterranean and train their cruise missiles toward Syria as Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel declares the troops ready for Obama's command.
Analysts promise that the impending strike will be quick, surgical, and limited in scope—not enough to draw Washington into the quagmire, they say, only enough to "punish" Assad for using chemical weapons. Never mind that the United States has no greater strategic stake in this war than it did before the most recent allegations, and set aside the unfortunate optics of the United States entering a war on the same side as al-Qaeda.
The beltway war hawks insist that, regardless of the geopolitics involved, Obama must honor his pledge and thus preserve the "credibility" of the United States, as though the judgment of Washington's chattering classes were of equal importance to the lives of the Syrians who must live with the consequences. (Here too the optics are unfortunate, since Washington will be launching a missile strike in protest of chemical weapons even as recently declassified documents have finally confirmed that the CIA abetted Saddam Hussein's sarin attacks on Iranians during the Iran-Iraq war. If only credibility were so easily restored!)
But all this is to put Washington at the center of a drama that is ultimately not its own. And in a sense, much of the journalism devoted to the fluctuating fortunes of the war's combatants is guilty of the same. Except for the resigned civilians occasionally quoted in newspapers or captured on video, very little is heard from the Syrians who are not fighting this war but living with it.
With this in mind I recently re-watched The Suffering Grasses, a film about the Syrian uprising by the acclaimed director and activist Iara Lee. Released late last year, well after the uprising had hardened into an armed rebellion but before it was pulled apart by sectarian bloodletting, the political context of the film is by now somewhat dated. But The Suffering Grasses—which takes its name from the African proverb, "When the elephants fight, the grass suffers"—beautifully captures Syrians explaining their struggle in their own words, giving a place of privilege to those nonviolent activists whose voices have long been buried beneath the rubble. Now is the perfect time to revisit it.
Ingesting the Poison
It's hard to remember now that the Syria we know today—a sectarian tinderbox that's become the plaything of every pyromaniac in the region—was not so long ago animated by the same revolutionary fervor that made it possible to imagine, however briefly, that every autocracy in the Middle East would yield peacefully to the inevitable. At the outset of The Suffering Grasses, rueful activists recall the escalating regime violence that increasingly attended their nonviolent gatherings. Their stories are accompanied by footage—some of it impossible to verify, perhaps, but similarly difficult to dismiss—of Syrian soldiers and plainclothes militiamen beating protesters, firing on crowds, executing prisoners, and firing again on funeral processions.
One actually feels a sense of relief when the first Free Syrian Army (FSA) fighters (remember them?) appear on screen, rolling triumphantly into Baba Amr and vowing to protect unarmed protesters. The relief is tempered by one fighter's explanation that almost any group of friends or cousins can call themselves the FSA, as well as by the knowledge that it will eventually be displaced by better armed and better disciplined foreign jihadists.
The activists interviewed for the film, some of whom eschewed the armed path and some of whom ultimately embraced it, debate the merits of armed revolution, with several arguing that violence plays simply into the hands of the better armed regime. Yet all seem to agree that the descent into carnage was inevitable. "Self-defense is a legitimate right," one says simply, and amid the footage from Assad's earliest crackdowns it's hard to disagree.
But even at this early stage, one sees how this turn to violence has begun to poison the sentiments underpinning the initial uprising. "I am Omar, and I declare my defection from the peaceful revolution to join the Free Syrian Army," one young sympathizer bedecked in battlefield regalia tells the camera. It's dime-store revolutionary propaganda, except that Omar looks to be about two years old. Another child follows, firing rounds into the air with a toy gun for emphasis.
As the fighting escalates, The Suffering Grasses shifts its attention to a refugee camp across the border in Turkey. Though most of its residents are far from home, connected only by news reports forever bringing grim tidings, they manage to eke out a façade of normalcy. Women prepare meals, children play idle games, and strangers learn to treat one another as family. Yet there is an inescapable sadness to this life away from home, communicated beautifully by long shots of lonely roads and a sparse, melancholy soundtrack. "I grabbed the pen to write my misery," reads a poem scrawled on an interior wall of a tent, "but the pen cried before my eyes did."
Even here the poison surfaces. "I want to shoot Bashar al-Assad, cut him, and throw him away with a stick," says an otherwise adorable young kid as he clambers around on sacks of rice. "He killed all the youth and I want to blow him away." A man nearby muses sadly that most of the kids there—and the adults, for that matter—are probably in need of counseling. Elsewhere in the camp, one 13-year-old girl deals with the trauma of her late-night escape to Turkey after the arrest of her brothers by making art and writing poems. Depictions of Russia and China kicking Syria around like a soccer ball hang alongside sad-faced scribbles of her brothers behind bars.
Beset by homesickness and determined to begin rebuilding their country, some refugees at the camp organize a school for the children. "It is the duty of a woman to teach everything she knows to the Syrian refugees," a veiled woman explains. "We're trying to develop ourselves here to build a new Syria," adds a teenage girl, "without fear or injustice and with freedom of expression."
And here one begins to feel a sense of optimism that, somewhere within the morass, there are bright-eyed Syrians ready to rebuild their country—if only the regime, the rebels, and regional interlopers would relinquish it from their grasp. "We refuse the killing, even from the Free Syrian Army or another organization," says Jaleel, a boy who doesn't look much older than 12. "The most important thing is to keep the revolution peaceful."
What's Missing
The Suffering Grasses is, in a sense, incomplete. Although the religious affiliations of the Syrians interviewed are not mentioned, most of the people we meet appear to be Sunnis. There is no word from Alawites, Christians, or members of other communities that increasingly rely on the protection of the Assad regime from roving bands of sectarian militias. This is an unfortunate yet understandable limitation, given the difficulty for journalists of meeting actual Syrians.
The Suffering Grasses doesn't pretend to know how to walk Syria back from the abyss. But by giving a voice to those Syrians who decry the sectarianism and violence stoked by the war's architects, it offers a start. Outside of Syria, it highlights efforts by activists to smuggle in cameras and smart phones—the "eyes of the revolution"—as well as medical supplies to whatever nonviolent protesters are left. Elsewhere, it showcases flashmobs and other events designed to raise awareness in world cities.
I agree with my colleague Phyllis Bennis that diplomatic engagement among the international parties fueling the violence in Syria—including the United States and the European Union, the Gulf States, Turkey, Russia, and Iran, among others—is the only way to bring this war to a close. Armed intervention, and certainly the mystifyingly arbitrary kind currently being considered by the Obama administration, can only escalate the violence, raise the stakes, and bring new combatants to the war. No down payment on some nebulous notion of "credibilty" is worth that.
Of course, it's hard to believe that the next chapter of this struggle will belong to the diplomats, much less to the flash mobbers, camera smugglers, or refugee home schoolers celebrated by Lee. But when the dust settles, who would want to build a new country without them?
Where are they now?
It takes longer to read this sentence than it does to support our work.
We don't have much time left to raise the $15,000 needed to meet Truthout's basic publishing costs this month. Will you take a few seconds to donate and give us a much-needed boost?
We know you are deeply committed to the issues that matter, and you count on us to bring you trustworthy reporting and comprehensive analysis on the real issues facing our country and the world. And as a nonprofit newsroom supported by reader donations, we're counting on you too. If you believe in the importance of an independent, free media, please make a tax-deductible donation today!

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Special Financing Available on Select Samsung/Dacor Appliances $499 and up for a limited time. Click here for details.
Log In or Sign Up for Member Pricing (Learn More)
My Zip: 33312
For accurate shipping tax, and nearby store data, please enter your zip code below.
Model: SM-R920NZKAXAA
Sku: SMR920NZKAXAA
Save $50 (11%)


text:
India became a "laughing stock" during the Ravindra Jadeja-James Anderson incident because of the timidity of BCCI president in-exile N Srinivasan, who played a "puppet" fearing a backlash from the England and Australia boards, CAB secretary Aditya Verma said Saturday.
"With N Srinivasan playing puppet, the Jadeja-Anderson issue was mishandled by BCCI and India came a cropper and proved a laughing stock in the world. This is because of Srinivasan and his cronies at the BCCI," Verma told reporters.
"We wonder why Srinivasan acted in such a timid manner. Was he worried that England and Australia associations will be offended because he became ICC chairman by their help? He not only diluted but covered up the whole issue. He allowed England board and ICC to almost highjack the matter and settle it in their favour.
"While Anderson, as per reports, himself admitted of his misconduct, the ICC allowed him to go scot free. And it all happened with Srinivasan at the helm of affairs. Under the circumstances, would we believe that there was some understanding between him and the ECB so the Anderson was not punished," he added.
Verma, whose legal action led to Srinivasan stepping aside as BCCI President in the IPL spot-fixing scandal, also raised doubts over IPL COO Sunder Raman representing BCCI on the Jadeja-Anderson issue.
Srinivasan had said yesterday that ICC was "not considering" a complete overhaul in the `Code of Conduct` for players, which has become a subject of debate following the infamous `Pushgate` incident.
Verma said, "The latest uttering of Srinivasan that the ICC Code of Conduct need no overhauling is definitely against the interest of Indian cricket."
He also urged former BCCI presidents such as Sharad Pawar and Jagmohan Dalmiya to come forward and save the board.
Former Union minister, Subodh Kant Sahay was also present during the press conference.
BCCI was left embarrassed after ICC rejected BCCI`s review plea on Judicial Commissioner Gordon Lewis` verdict pronouncing Anderson not guilty in his altercation with Jadeja during the first Test.


text:
Independent ski & world travel experts.
Italy, the historical centre of the Roman Empire, boasts more cultural sights and attractions than you could ever hope to see in a single visit. In fact, Italy lays claim to more UNESCO World Heritage Sites than any other country in the world (47 in total), and many of these awe-inspiring attractions - often rather casually located amid the hustle and bustle of modern city-life - are essential to an understanding of contemporary western civilisation. From the Leaning Tower of Pisa, to the intricate Gothic architecture of Cathedral Square, to the almost obscene wealth of artwork housed in the galleries of Tuscany, a holiday in Italy is nothing short of a compulsory experience.
Of course, Italy's culture does not only belong in the past - the country remains on the cutting-edge of haute couture, and watching the famously stylish locals clip along cobblestoned streets in six-inch stiletto heels is almost a tourist attraction in itself. Shopaholics will feel as though they've found paradise, browsing the boutique stores of Milan's Fashion Quadrilatero; while gastronomes should prepare themselves for a holiday punctuated by unforgettable meals. The world-famous Italian cuisine is, naturally, even more delicious when prepared in its homeland - and visitors to Italy can look forward to trying interesting regional variations of their favourite pizza and pasta dishes.
Whether you opt for a holiday in Venice, where the songs of gondoliers are carried on the evening breeze; or you choose to relax on the staggering Amalfi coastline; or you find yourself in Verona, sipping an espresso in a crowded piazza while the sun sinks behind a skyline of Gothic spires; one thing's for sure, your holiday in Italy will be an experience you won't soon forget.
Best time to visit Italy
Most people visit Italy in summer, between June and August; however, the best times to visit Italy are in spring (April to May) and autumn (September to October), when the weather is cool and dry, the skies are generally clear, and - since there are fewer tourists around - accommodation is usually cheaper. The sea is warm enough for swimming between June and September. Most Italians take their vacation in August, and many shops and restaurants are closed during this period. The ski season runs from December to April, and the best time to go hiking in the Alps is between June and September. Read more on Italy's Climate and Weather.
Where to visit in Italy
Amalfi Coast
The rugged southern shore dividing the Bay of Naples from the Gulf of Salerno is a restful and picturesque area. Miniature towns shelter in precipitous coastal ravines and tranquil seas calmly lap the shores of quiet pebbled beaches. The Amalfi Coast is a great relaxation spot from which to enjoy coastal Italian culture.
Stretching between the towns of Postiano and Vietri sul Mare, near Salerno, the area is renowned for its breathtaking scenery and towering mountain cliffs that plunge into the Mediterranean Sea. Precariously perched and threatening to tipple into the sea, the small town of Positano is a great attraction for tourists with its cluster of multi-coloured houses and remarkable setting. A cliffside stairway provides the perfect vantage-point from which to admire its glorious sea vistas.
Four miles (6km) down the coast is the quaint town of Praiano, framed by caves, castles and sharp cliffs. A stroll from here towards Amalfi will take you to a ramp leading to Marina di Praia, a 400-year-old fishing village nestled in the embrace of a tiny ravine. Another notable stop between Praiano and Amalfi is the Grotto dello Smeraldo.
The busy seaside town of Amalfi basks in the glory of its longevity as the first Sea Republic of Italy, and as the hometown of Flavio Gioja, the inventor of the compass. It is referred to as the 'pearl of the coast' and has a bit of everything for the weary traveller. A pebble's throw away from here is the quiet village of Atrani. Its tranquil beach rests languidly on the water's edge against a superb backdrop of mountains.
Further down the coast is Minori, notable for its lemon exports, a gentle place with villas and beaches to explore. The quiet town of Ravello retains the charm prized by Bocaccio who dedicated part of his famous work, the Decameron, to the town. The coastal road that twists its way between the rocks affords glimpses of small villages, bays and inlets, and a journey along this southern route will take travellers to towns of worldwide fame as well as to lesser-known spots of equally enchanting beauty.
Rome, known as the Eternal City, is an ancient and fascinating travel destination, which tops the bucket list of many a historical sightseer and Catholic pilgrim:
Hundreds of thousands of visitors travel to Rome on holiday every year to steep themselves in the remnants of the ancient Roman Empire, glory in the artistic treasures of the Vatican City, and gorge on pasta and pizza in pretty piazzas. Rome boasts possibly the best historical sightseeing in the world, with priceless ancient attractions strewn all over the city. Gems like the Pantheon and the Colosseum can single-handedly justify a trip to Rome. Though it may feel eternal, the Italian capital also offers some modern thrills, with a stylish fashion scene and good shopping, sumptuous restaurants, a proud and lively population, and a laid-back, fun nightlife.
For many Catholics, a visit to Rome and the Vatican City is an unforgettable religious pilgrimage, and even non-Christians will be awed by Michelangelo's frescoes in the Sistine Chapel and the numerous treasures and beauties of the Pope's seat. Art-lovers will find marvels on every street corner and some of the most astounding galleries, museums and churches on earth.
One of the most romantic and unique travel destinations in the world, Venice's fame is perennial and well-deserved; the watery city is full of treasures and surprises and is guaranteed to delight visitors:
Floating on its blue lagoon with an almost dream-like quality, Venice is just as romantic and beautiful as it looks in travelogues and movies, making it extremely unlikely that anybody who realises their ambition of a holiday in the city will be disappointed. The charming piazzas and singing gondoliers, idiosyncratic buildings and crumbling palaces are all there to be seen, admired and photographed for posterity. Venice's art galleries, museums and churches house some of the masterpieces of European art and the difficulty for tourists is choosing what to see when so many treasures are accessible. A Venice holiday may be crowded and expensive but will surpass all expectations.
Seemingly eternal in its allure, Florence is one of the most beautiful cities in the world and a treasure trove of Renaissance art and culture:
Despite being over-run with tourists for centuries, people continue to flock to holiday in Florence, an artistic, architectural and cultural gem. In a relatively small area, Florence contains a wealth of Renaissance art treasures on streets that were once walked by great artists like Michelangelo, Boticelli and Leonardo da Vinci. The entire historic old town of Florence is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city is also known for its good shopping and great Tuscan cuisine. Florence is the launching pad for the stunning countryside, wine routes, Etruscan sites, and medieval hill villages of Tuscany, one of the most popular tourist region's in Italy.
No self-respecting European tourist can miss out on a holiday in Florence, which ranks as one of the must-see Italian destinations. Serious art-lovers, who are out to do more than just tick the destination boxes, also rank a holiday in Florence at the very top of their itineraries.
The Lakes
The great northern lakes stretch like sparkling, glass-topped vistas within a sequence of long, cavernous valleys descending from the Alps. Lake Como, Lake Maggiore and Lake Garda emit their unique sparkle onto the magnificent surrounding landscape, and attract diverse tourists to their banks. Younger travellers enjoy the sailing and nightlife experience of Lake Garda, Maggiore provides a tranquil, relaxed respite and can be enjoyed from the comforts of its surrounding luxury hotels, while sophisticates from Milan are drawn to the magnetism of Lake Como.
The pristine waters of Lake Como (known locally as Lago Di Como) are framed by craggy backdrops, and magnificent villas festooned with bougainvillea perch over its watery banks. Three long lakes converge to form Lake Como, joining in the Centro Lago area with the four towns of Bellaggio, Tremezzo, Menaggio and Varenna. These can be visited via the boats and buses connecting the towns in all three areas of the lake. Cultural areas of interest include Como's duomo, which combines the best of Gothic and Renaissance elements. Contiguous to this lies the former communal palace, the Broletto, and two blocks from here is the Church of San Fedele. While on holiday in Lake Como, scenic vistas can be explored from a funicolare to Brunate. Hiking trails lead off from here with overnight accommodation en route in the form of baite (modest guesthouses). Across the lake is the Tempio Voltiano, a memorial museum devoted to Alessandro Volta, the inventor of the battery. There is an outdoor market in Como every Tuesday and Thursday morning and the whole day on Sunday; great for holiday bargains.
The holiday retreat of Lake Garda, known locally as Lago di Garda, is the most popular of Italy's northern lakes and has a temperate climate to complement its magnificent setting. The lake towns of Riva, Gardone Riviera and Sirmione can be reached via buses, hydrofoils and ferries from Desenzano. The town of Sirmione boasts the relics of Roman civilisation and a magnificent medieval castle. The Sirmione Spa, the largest privately owned thermal treatment centre in Italy, offers invigorating therapy from its sulphurous waters. Gardone Riviera was once the playground of the rich and famous and is now the recreational haunt for many a tourist. The hills beyond Gardone are perfect for walking and enjoying the scents of nature bursting from the lemon groves. The alpine cliffs, casting their glorious shadows off Riva del Garda, are a perfect spot from which to hike, mountain bike and windsurf. The picturesque pebble beaches provide a slower, languid soaking-up-the-sun holiday experience.
Lake Maggiore casts a refined glow from its shores, as it is the preferred holiday destination of the elite. The resort town of Stresa is a haven for Italians, French and Germans who flock to its cobbled streets and enjoy the spectacular mountain and lake views from its quarters. Just a heartbeat away from Lake Maggiore lies further splendour in the form of the Borromean Isles. Daily excursion tickets enable adventurous travellers to hop between the islands at their leisure. Of these isles, the Isola Bella is the most visited. Its claim to fame is the magnificent Baroque palace, the Palazzo e Giardini Borromeo, replete with priceless masterpieces, tapestries, furniture and paintings. The terraced gardens reach their dramatic apex with the unicorn, the Borromeo family emblem. On Isola Madre is the Borromeo bambini doll collection, as well as a number of portraits of the family. A magnificent botanical garden flows from the house with plentiful exotic trees, plants and flowers; a must-see while on holiday at Lake Maggiore.
Tuscany's rolling hills are garlanded with cypress trees, lush vines and olive groves, that make way here and there for sleepy villages and medieval hill-towns. The area rests languidly in the middle of the Italian peninsula, with parts stretching to the coastline of the Tyrrhenian Sea. Snaking through the Tuscan landscape from Florence to Pisa and soaking its thirsty banks is the Arno River. Akin to the gentle flow of a river is the ebb of life in the region: people work in the fields in much the same way as their ancestors did before them, producing some of Italy's finest wines and olive oils. From this same landscape emerges a profusion of art and architecture that has grafted Italy onto the world's cultural map. Tuscany was the birthplace of the Renaissance, a period of unprecedented innovation in art, architecture and humanist scholarship. The grandeur of the High Renaissance was enjoyed during the Medici family's reign, when they commissioned the art and architecture that lives on within the elegant precincts of Florence.
Florence is one of the most popular cities in Italy for tourists, and is widely considered one of the most beautiful cities in the world. It is a dreamy destination made up of cobbled streets, picturesque piazzas, a wealth of Renaissance art and architecture, and some of the best galleries and museums in Italy. It is also a conspicuously Tuscan city, with all the sleepy charm of the region and many worthwhile excursions into the countryside.
Tuscany has a mild Mediterranean climate, with hot summers and cool, wet winters. Winter temperatures range from 50°F to 59°F (10°C to 15°C), while summer temperatures range between 77°F and 86°F (25°C and 30°C). Humidity can be high. The best time to visit Tuscany is in May, September and October.


text:
With an elegant white papal helicopter swirling over our heads, Benedict XVI flew into Castel Gandolfo for a final word to faithful living in the diocese of Albano Laziale—my adopted Italian home—and summer residence of popes since the early 17th century.
At about 5:45 pm Rome time, I was personal witness with a few thousand others as he delivered a final public address, which lasted no more than a minute. Completely off the cuff, Benedict spoke with great personal affection and encouragement for those us who have called him "our neighbor" for the last eight summers in the bucolic and panoramic Roman countryside (see also ABC video below):
Dear friends, I'm happy to be with you, surrounded by the beauty of creation and your well-wishes which do me such good. Thank you for your friendship, and your affection. You know this day is different for me than the preceding ones: I am no longer the Supreme Pontiff of the Catholic Church, or I will be until 8 o'clock this evening and then no more.
I am simply a pilgrim beginning the last leg of his pilgrimage on this Earth. But I would still … thank you … I would still with my heart, with my love, with my prayers, with my reflection, and with all my inner strength, like to work for the common good and the good of the church and of humanity. I feel very supported by your sympathy.
Let us go forward with the Lord for the good of the church and the world. Thank you, I now wholeheartedly impart my blessing. Blessed be God Almighty, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Good night! Thank you all!
Benedict XVI was a pope that personified humility and Christ's love for humanity. Everyone of us in the square this evening at Castel Gandolfo felt both sincere respect and, now, pain as the former pontiff closed his window above us for a private life of prayer, contemplation, and scholarly dedication. The sede vacante now officially begins.
Arrivederci Benedetto. Ti vogliamo bene!


text:
You might also like
10x10! ChristmasA special Christmas version of one of the most addicting games of all-time -10x10! This is the best game to play during Christmas season and of all times!
Jewel ChristmasEnjoy this Christmas Match 3 game! Five festive game modes will keep you playing for hours, are you up for the challenge?
Jigsaw City TripPiece together beautiful city views in this jigsaw puzzle game. Connect the pieces to explore different cities in the world.
Howdy ChristmasArrange the Christmas decorations in groups of 3 , and use your imagination to create brand new ornaments! How would you like to decorate this holiday season? Enjoy this relaxing puzzle game, in Christmas style!
Single LineOne puzzle, One line. This is an ultimate brain trainer game to test your logic and puzzle-solving skills. Draw one line in one go to complete each level!
Jigsaw Puzzle Christmas
Rate this game
This is the perfect jigsaw puzzle game for the Christmas season! Get cosy with a cup of hot chocolate at home while it's snowing outside!


text:
Create a Website Account - Manage notification subscriptions, save form progress and more.
No, the City does not accept letter of credit. You must pay a deposit of $175.00 and a non refundable application fee of $35.00. The deposit will be applied to your final bill.
Show All Answers
No, deposits have to be paid in full before service will be connected.
Any current deposits you have on the account will transfer over to the new account. However, you may have to add more deposits to your account depending on the service you are requesting and your past credit history.
Yes, in most cases the deposit you had previously was applied to your last bill and new deposits will be required for the new address.
Deposits stay on the account until the account is disconnected. Once the account is disconnected, the deposit is applied to the final bill. You will be notified if there is any money left to be refunded or you will receive a bill for the amount left that the deposit did not cover.


text:
Epiphone unveils Genesis Deluxe Pro
We've already witnessed Epiphone revive the Nighthawk and Wilshire designs in recent years and now Gibson's affordable wing is planning to breathe new life into another guitar collector's favourite with the Genesis Deluxe Pro.
UPDATE: Epiphone has not yet committed to worldwide distribution of this model and is calling for Genesis fans' feedback to help it to decide how to distribute the finished product. Head to the Genesis feedback page to register your interest.
The original Genesis was released in 1979 and produced in Taiwan until 1981. With an MSRP of $832 (approx. £530), this latest iteration updates that design with a maple-veneered mahogany body (as opposed to the pure mahogany of the original), ProBucker pickups, coil-splitting circuitry and gold hardware.
The new Genesis features a ProBucker 2 (neck) and ProBucker 3 (bridge). Both pickups can be coil-split. This means the circuit bypasses a coil within the humbucker and allows it to act as single-coil-style pickup, offering a wider range of tones.
As opposed to the two Volume and single Master Tone controls found on the late 70s/early 80s Genesis models, the Genesis Deluxe Pro features independent Tone and Volume knobs for each pickup. The Volume pots also have push/pull switching to activate the coil-split and there's a three-way pickup selector.
The new Genesis utilizes gold hardware, including a LockTone Tune-o-matic bridge and stopbar tailpiece. The original 1979 range used chrome-plated parts on the Standard and Deluxe models and gold on the top-of-the-range Custom.
The Genesis has a unique headstock design, which looks a bit like an elongated Les Paul head and features gold Grover Locking Tuners and a (once more) retro-looking Genesis logo. The neck is a slim-profile D-shape with a Rosewood fingerboard.
There are four available finishes: (left to right) Black Cherry, Midnight Ebony, Midnight Sapphire and Vintage Sunburst, which aim to make the most of the AAA quilt maple veneer.
In keeping with late 70s/early 80s roots of the Genesis Deluxe Pro, the guitar is supplied a reissued 70s hardcase, complete with orange plush lining and retro "Epiphone Genesis" logo.


text:
Good news! Per my previous post, there were some embarrassing uncorrected errors in the version of Blood Diva that went out free (June 22-26). As soon as a reader alerted me, and I realized what had happened (an older version had been uploaded by mistake in December) I made the corrections and wrote Amazon suggesting they alert readers. I don't believe they've done so yet, and they might not as they only use the "alert" in extreme cases, BUT I discovered this morning, they have made the "updated" version available to readers. Updates are FREE. So yay Amazon!
I would URGE you to please get the update — no matter when you purchased.
Here's how: (1) Go into your Amazon account on your computer. (2) Go to "manage your content and devices." (3) Search for Blood Diva. (4) Click "actions." You should see "Get latest version" as one of your options. (I'm not sure if that's the exact wording.) (5) Just click and you're done!
And if you haven't gotten your copy of Blood Diva yet, and are sitting there going, "Wait, what? I coulda got it for free?" here's some good news: You still can. Click here to find out how.


text:
Actions for Performance audit insights: key findings from 2014-2018
Performance audit insights: key findings from 2014-2018
A report released today by the Auditor-General for New South Wales, Margaret Crawford, presents key findings from four years of performance audits. The report findings are presented around six areas of government activity including planning for the future, meeting community expectations for key services, investment in infrastructure, managing natural resources, ensuring good governance and digital disruption.
Actions for Fraud Survey
Fraud Survey
In a report released today, the NSW Auditor-General, Margaret Crawford provides a snapshot of reported fraud in the NSW public sector and an analysis of NSW Government agencies' fraud controls based on a survey of 102 agencies.


text:
Just 5% of the U.S. population accounts for 50% of all health spending. So the idea of addressing the medical and social needs of the sickest and most expensive patients among us to keep them from making repeated visits to the hospital holds some obvious appeal as a way to bring down overall health care spending.
The promising concept, known as hot-spotting, was widely touted. Dr. Jeffrey Brenner, a New Jersey physician who helped pioneer the model and popularized it by founding the Camden Coalition of Healthcare Providers in 2002, was profiled in a 2011 New Yorker piece and won a MacArthur Foundation "genius" grant.
"Many hospital and insurance executives have pinned their hopes on this work because it promised to solve a common problem: when patients lives are so complicated by social factors like poverty and addiction that their manageable medical conditions, like diabetes and asthma, lead to expensive, recurring hospital stays," Dan Gorenstein and Leslie Walker explain at Kaiser Health News.
But a new study published by MIT researchers in the New England Journal of Medicine found the approach to be a disappointing failure in cutting hospital readmissions and total health care spending.
The Associated Press's Marilynn Marchione reports:
"Researchers thought they had a way to keep hard-to-treat patients from constantly returning to the hospital and racking up big medical bills. Health workers visited homes, went along to doctor appointments, made sure medicines were available and tackled social problems including homelessness, addiction and mental health issues.
"Readmissions seemed to drop. … But a more robust study released Wednesday revealed it was a stunning failure on its main goal: Readmission rates did decline, but by the same amount as for a comparison group of similar patients not in the costly program."
Why it matters: "The surprising lack of results offers a cautionary tale about how difficult it is to improve patients' care and reduce costs," writes New York Times reporter Reed Abelson. The researchers behind the new study say it's important that we keep looking for answers — and rigorously test new ideas. "Of course it's disappointing to learn that a relatively cheap and short-term intervention wasn't the magic bullet for solving an incredibly complex, costly and important problem," MIT economist Amy Finkelstein, an author of the new study, told Politico. "But that's how science makes progress."
The safety net may not be strong enough for these patients: "The study's researchers offered several possible reasons for the program's lack of success, including a lack of follow-up home visits or doctor's appointments or insufficient resources," Abelson says. Marchione notes, for example, that the program was able to meet two of its main goals —making a home visit and a trip to a health provider within a week of leaving the hospital — for just 28% of study participants.
Brenner says that the resources available to help the neediest patients were more limited than the Camden Coalition had estimated, and that the care coordination he pioneered was necessary — but insufficient without a stronger safety net.
"When we started this 10 years ago, the dominant belief was this was a coordination problem. As we got deeper into the work it became clear that even if you did a great job of navigating and coordinating services, there was a fundamental failure of these services to deliver what these patients need," he told Reuters. And he provided this devastating summation to Kaiser Health News: "The bottom line is, we built a brilliant intervention to navigate people to nowhere."
Brenner says that housing may play a more important role in breaking the cycle of hospitalizations for these patients. At UnitedHealthcare, where he is now an executive, he is leading an experiment to providing housing to high-cost patients.
Or a different approach might be more effective: The study's result may indicate that a patient-centered approach might not be the answer to reducing waste, Boston University economist Austin Frakt writes at The New York Times:
"The other approach to fighting wasteful medical spending starts with looking at health care as a system of goods and services: medications and surgical procedures, administrative processes and physical infrastructure. Some of these enhance health and others don't, while some of it costs more than its benefits warrant. If you can identify wasteful goods and services and deliver effective care at lower prices, you can make the system more efficient for everyone."
But a systemic approach faces significant challenges that make it hard to implement, at least without harming the quality of care. "Directly and systematically reducing wasteful care is hard because the most successful strategies threaten the revenue of dominant health care providers," Michael McWilliams, a professor at Harvard Medical School and a general internist with Brigham and Women's Hospital, told Frakt. "One person's waste is another's income."
Frakt's conclusion: "The answer isn't necessarily to pick a patient- or system-focused approach to reforming health care, but to do both effectively."


text:
With the world watching the Sochi Winter Olympics including the biathlon shooting events, now is the time for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to ban the use of lead shot to prevent wildlife poisoning and health threats to surface and groundwater, says a new paper co-authored this month by a University of Guelph biologist.
Thousands of tons of lead shot discharged every year during training by Olympic shooters pose a threat to birds and mammals and to water resources, says Vernon Thomas, professor emeritus in the Department of Integrative Biology.
His paper "Banning the Use of Lead Shot: Options for the International Olympic Committee" appears in the current issue of the journal Environmental Policy and Law.
He wrote the article proposing IOC policy options with David Anderson, former Canadian minister of the environment and former chair of the governing council of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP).
They began working together on environmental policy when Anderson joined U of G in 2007 as part-time director of the former Guelph Institute for the Environment.
Thomas said the Winter Olympic biathlon now under way in the Sochi Games is not the problem, as lead shot is recovered and recycled from targets.
In the Summer Games, clay target shooting releases lead shot, but even that amount of lead discharged every four years is minimal, he said.
The real problem stems from athletes training between the Olympic Games. Thomas said each Olympic shooter discharges more than a ton of lead shot each year on and around practice shooting ranges.
"The real concern is the amount of shot released during the four-year interval by the many hopefuls in each country and the Olympic team members of each country who practise assiduously with over 1,000 shots per week.
"This lead shot -- many tons -- is rarely recovered and poses real toxic risks to wildlife that may ingest it and to groundwater quality."
He said non-toxic substitutes -- especially steel shot -- have been available for about two decades.
Only lead shot is approved by the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF), which regulates Olympic trap and skeet shooting events. The ISSF also oversees qualification of athletes for the Olympic Games for each member nation.
Thomas said ISSF rules on lead shot use contravene an IOC Charter rule meant to ensure that all Olympic events are sustainable and pose no environmental harm.
Lack of attention to the environmental effects of Olympic shooting is also inconsistent with UNEP's efforts globally to eliminate lead in paint, fuels and batteries, he said. "You can't be concerned about lead from other sources and then turn a blind eye to the magnitude of lead from lead shot."
UNEP is represented on the IOC Sport and Environment Committee.
He said the IOC and UNEP have received copies of the new paper and another article about Olympic shooting policy co-authored by Thomas and published last year in AMBIO, a publication of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.
If the IOC were to ban the use of lead shot, he said, all Olympic shooting and qualification events worldwide would have to use non-toxic shot.
Thomas said officials could phase out the use of lead shot after the 2016 Olympics.
He has also studied the impacts of lead shot from hunting.
Up to four per cent of North American waterfowl was killed each year after being poisoned by ingesting lead shot discharged from waterfowl hunting. The United States banned waterfowl hunters from using lead shot in 1991; Canada followed suit eight years later.
Last fall, California banned all hunters from using lead ammunition, based partly on another 2013 AMBIO paper by Thomas that outlined lead-free alternatives.
Story Source:
Materials provided by University of Guelph. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
Journal Reference:
Cite This Page:


text:
Today, Apple released an update to iTunes that brings much needed improvements to the MiniPlayer, including a playback bar with a scrubbing playhead.
The update also brings another MiniPlayer view that includes album art (shown above). Previously, there was a similar function that you could get by double-clicking on the album art, but now both views have been consolidated and more useful controls have been added including audio output (which includes but is not limited to AirPlay access), and search.


text:
(Hebrew Shabot rest).
The name, as appears from its origin, denotes those individuals or parties who are distinguished by some peculiar opinion or practice in regard to the observance of the Sabbath or day of rest. In the first place it is applied to those rigorists who apparently confound the Christian Sunday with the Jewish Sabbath and, not content with the prohibition of servile work, will not allow many ordinary and innocent occupations on the Sunday. This form of Sabbatariansm has chiefly prevailed among Scottish and English Protestants and was at one time very common. Of late years it has sensibly declined; and there is now a tendency towards the opposite extreme of laxity in observing the law of Sunday rest. These Sabbatarians never formed a distinct sect; but were merely a party of rigorists scattered among many and various Protestant denominations. At the same time it is not only in their name that they have something in common with the distinctive sects of Sabbatarians properly so-called, for their initial error in neglecting the distinction between the Christian weekly festival and the Jewish Sabbath is likewise the starting-point of the Sabbatarian sects; and these carry their mistaken principle to its logical conclusion.
This logical development of judaizing Sabbatarianism is curiously illustrated in the history of a sect of Sabbatarian Socinians founded in Transylvania in Hungary towards the end of the sixteenth century. Their first principle, which led them to separate from the rest of the Unitarian body, was their belief that the day of rest must be observed with the Jews on the seventh day of the week and not on the Christian Sunday. And as we learn from Schrodl the greater part of this particular Sabbatarian sect joined the orthodox Jews in 1874, thus carrying out in practice the judaizing principle of their founders. Although there does not seem to be any immediate or obvious connection between the observance of the seventh day and the rejection of infant baptism, these two errors in doctrine and discipline are often found together. Thus Sabbatarianism made many recruits among the Mennonite Anabaptists in Holland and among the English Baptists who, much as they differ on other points of doctrine, agree in the rejection of paedo-baptism. And it is presumably a result of this contact with Anabaptism that Sabbatarianism is also found in association with fanatical views on political or social questions. The most conspicuous of English Sabbatarian Baptists was Francis Bampfield (d. 1683), brother of a Devonshire baronet and originally a clergyman of the English Church. He was the author of several works and ministered to a congregation of Sabbatarian Baptists in London. He suffered imprisonment for his heterodoxy and eventually died in Newgate. In America the Baptists who profess Sabbatarianism are known as Seventh-Day Baptists.
But if the greater number of Sabbatarians have come from the Baptists, the most amazing of them was at one time associated with the Wesleyan Methodists. This was the prophetess Joanna Southcott (1750-1814), like Bampfield, a native of Devonshire, who composed many spiritual poems and prophetical writings, and became the mother of a sect of Sabbatarians, also known as Southcottians or Joannas. Modern Englishmen who are apt to smile at medieval credulity can scarcely find in Catholic countries in the "darkest" days of ignorance any instance of a more amazing credulity than that of Joanna Southcott's disciples, who confidently awaited the birth of the promised Messiah whom the prophetess of sixty-four was to bring into the world. They gave practical proof of their faith by preparing a costly cradle. Nor did they abandon all hope when the poor deluded woman died of the disease which had given a false appearance of pregnancy. The sect survived for many years; and when in 1874 her tombstone was shattered by an accidental explosion, the supposed portent re-enkindled the faith of her followers.
The American sect of Seventh-Day Adventists may be added to the list of Sabbatarian communities, among which their large numbers should give them a conspicuous place. To these may be added the Jewish sect of Sabbatarians, though these derive their name not from the Sabbath, but from their founder, Sabbatian Zebi or Zevi (1626-76). His teaching was not concerned with any special observance of the Sabbath, but as a form of false Messianism it may be compared with the mission of Joanna Southcott. The two stories show some strange points of resemblance especially in the invincible credulity of the disciples of the pretended Jewish Messiah and of the deluded Devonshire prophetess. (See bibliography of ADVENTISTS.)
APA citation. (1912). Sabbatarians, Sabbatarianism. In The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13287a.htm
MLA citation. "Sabbatarians, Sabbatarianism." The Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 13. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1912. <http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/13287a.htm>.
Transcription. This article was transcribed for New Advent by John Looby.
Ecclesiastical approbation. Nihil Obstat. February 1, 1912. Remy Lafort, D.D., Censor. Imprimatur. +John Cardinal Farley, Archbishop of New York.
Contact information. The editor of New Advent is Kevin Knight. My email address is webmaster at newadvent.org. Regrettably, I can't reply to every letter, but I greatly appreciate your feedback — especially notifications about typographical errors and inappropriate ads.


text:
Ksenia Solo — Crush of the Day
Ksenia Solo is a stunning actress who you can see every week on the Syfy series 'Lost Girl.' She may or may not also be related to Han Solo. We kinda like to think she is.
The Latvian born Canadian performer studied ballet in her teens before becoming an actress. She left dance to pursue TV and films roles after suffering a back injury. Solo's ballet raining came in handy in 2010, when she won a small role in the Natalie Portman film 'Black Swan.'
Solo has been all over the tube. You may have seen her in 'Cold Case,' 'Moonlight,' 'The Cleaner' or 'Life Unexpected.'
The 24-year-old also starred in the pilot episode of 'Locke & Key,' based on the genre comic book series of the same name. The pilot did not get picked up to series, which means Solo will most likely continue playing the sexy and strange Kenzi on 'Lost Girl,' a show that blends monsters and ghosts and hot, ass kicking women in tight leather outfits. It's a good show.